STUDLEY Operatic Society has a date with Kiss Me, Kate at the Palace Theatre, Redditch, from April 22-26.

I hope it has not borrowed the drop-curtain that featured heavily in the London show.

Kiss Me, Kate is about a touring production of The Taming of the Shrew and this was spread all over the curtain by way of advertisement.

Unfortunately, it alleged that The Taming of the Shrew was by "W M Shakespeare" - presumably on the assumption that the Bard had been christened not William but William Makepeace.

Alas, the man of letters who was saddled with that brace of names was not Stratford's favourite son but William Makepeace Thackeray, the 19th Century novelist.

* DAVE Willetts, high-flying former member of Coventry Youth Operetta Group, will be in Wolverhampton for a week from March 31, when the tour of South Pacific reaches the Grand Theatre.

His successes include starring roles in Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Cats and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.

His current preoccupation is Emile de Becque, the likeable, love-struck French widower smitten by the arrival of Ensign Nellie Forbush to do her wartime bit on the Pacific island where he is living.

* AUDITIONS are in the air. Union Theatre plans an open-air production of Romeo and Juliet in the Tudor Manor House Gardens at Solihull.

It is holding auditions on Thursday, April 5, from 7.30pm, at the borough's John Palmer Hall. The search is on for actors, singers, dancers and musicians and further details are available by ringing 0121 705 6367.

And Midland Music Makers will hold auditions for its November production of Carmen on the evenings of April 29 and May 6. Anyone interested in auditioning for either principal or chorus parts should call 07971 673 060.

MMM calls itself "an amazing little Birmingham-based opera company" and a member said: "We sing all our operas in English and we are supported by a professional orchestra, set designer, producer and director."

* GREAT Barr artist Steve Lilly will have an exhibition of his work at Highbury Little Theatre, Sutton Coldfield, opening with a meet-the-artist coffee morning from 10am to noon on Sunday and coinciding with the run of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice until April 5.

He mainly uses graphite pencil, with which he covers a wide range of subjects including people, pets, cars, corporate logos, book illustration and warships.

* DERYCK Rolfe, last seen on the stage of Hall Green Little Theatre three years ago as the blind Captain Cat in Under Milk Wood, has died at his Wythall home at the age of 83.

He had been a member of the group for half a century, which included a period of about 25 years as treasurer.